Brunei-Muara District

Brunei-Muara is the northern-most district ("daerah" in Malay) in Brunei; it is the smallest of Brunei's four districts in term of area but by far the most populous, with over half the country's population. It is the most important and bustling district because the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan which is also the state capital is the seat of the government ministries and departmental headquarters as well as the centre of business activities. Other major town in the Brunei-Muara district include Muara town. The Brunei-Muara district contain the largest and deepest port in Brunei, the Muara Port.

The Brunei-Muara district is located in the north-east, bordering the South China Sea to the north, Brunei Bay to the east, Limbang, Sarawak (Malaysia) to the south and the Bruneian district of Tutong to the west. It has a population of 213,800 and covers 570km²/220mi².

Drainage of the Brunei-Muara district

There are four main river systems or basins irrigating the four districts of Brunei. The Brunei river flows within the Brunei-Muara district. It runs into the Brunei Bay beyond which is the port of Muara. The upper reaches of the river are a major freshwater source particularly for the western part of the country.

Dense mangroves and nipah palms, a rich breeding ground of coastal fisheries, cover the lower parts of rivers near estuaries. Pristine tropical jungles and valuable freshwater sources are the upper reaches of Brunei river. A high proportion of urban development borders in the Brunei river. Located by the principal rivers are all the district centres, including Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital within the Brunei-Muara district.

Limited reserves of groundwater have been identified in the Berakas area of the Brunei-Muara district. The estimated safe yield is 17.3 million m3/year. Brunei has two dams with a total storage capacity of 45,013,000 m3. The Tasek reservoir used for water supply has a total capacity of 13,000 m3 and a catchment area of 2.8 km².

Mukims in the Brunei Muara district

Each of the districts in Brunei are divided into mukims or counties/sub-districts and each mukims are further sub-divided into villages or local areas. The Brunei-Muara district is govern by a District Officer, each mukims by a Penghulu or head of county and each villages by a Ketua Kampong or head of village. The current District Officer of the Brunei-Muara district is Dato Paduka Awang Haji Mohd. Yusop bin Bakar.

Originally, during the reign of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the Brunei-Muara district has 17 "mukims" where Berakas was not yet divided into two divisions and Kumbang Pasang was considered a mukim. However, during the reign of Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, the Brunei-Muara district received a change. Mukim Berakas was divided into two parts; Berakas A and Berakas B due to rapid residential and infrastructural developments. While Kumbang Pasang become absorbed into Kianggeh.

And as of July 2007, there are currently 18 "mukims" (sub-district) or counties within the Brunei-Muara district as Mukim Gadong is now divided into two, Gadong A occupies the northern part and mukim Gadong B occupies the southern part. Of all the mukims, 6 of them are located in the water village and are therefore considered as water village mukims. All of the water village mukims are referred to as Kampong Ayer or the water village as a whole. Although they are a part of the water village collective, each mukims are identified as a separate division or entity for administrative reasons.

* Berakas A
* Berakas B
* Gadong A
* Gadong B
* Kianggeh
* Kilanas
* Kota Batu
* Lumapas
* Mentiri
* Pengkalan Batu
* Sengkurong
* Serasa
* Burong Pinggai Ayer ¹
* Peramu ¹
* Saba ¹
* Sungai Kebun ¹
* Sungai Kedayan ¹
* Tamoi ¹

¹ - Water village "mukims"

Kampong Ayer (Water Village)

The well known place in the district is Kampong Ayer (Water Villages) which has been in existence for centuries. According to the 1997 population estimates, about 30,000 people live in Kampong Ayer which is really made up of small villages linked together by more than 29,140 metres of foot-bridges. In order to preserve Kampong Ayer as Brunei Darussalam's most valuable heritage, the Government through the District Office has provided it with numerous facilities including food-bridges, concrete jetties, piped water, electricity supplies telephones, school, mosques, clinics, police station and a marine fire station. All of the six water village mukims are collectively known as the water village (Kampong Ayer) but are identified as separate mukims for administrative purposes.

Islands within the Brunei-Muara district

There are several in-bay and coastal islands in the Brunei Bay belonging to the Brunei-Muara district. These islands include Pulau Muara Besar, Pulau Salar, Pulau Simangga Besar, Pulau Bedukang, Pulau Kaingaran, Pulau Chermin, Pulau Pepatan, Pulau Baru-Baru, Pulau Berbunut, Pulau Sibungor, Pulau Ranggu and Pulau Berambang. There is one man-made "island" off the coast of Mukim Serasa that is actually a spit turned into an "island" called Tanjong Pelumpong (Pelumpong Spit). There are two off-shore islands off the coast of the Brunei-Muara district in the South China Sea, Pulau Pungit, off the coast of Sengkurong and Pulau Pelong-Pelongan, off the coast of Mukim Serasa.